


A Whole New World

by Spookyclaire



Category: Glee
Genre: Blangst, Gen, family fic, papa!Burt/son!Blaine, trigger warnings for past child abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-20
Updated: 2013-06-20
Packaged: 2017-12-15 14:19:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/850543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spookyclaire/pseuds/Spookyclaire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Burt and Carole applied to be foster parents they knew their life was going to change, not just for them but for their 6 year old sons as well. But when they take in Blaine and Cooper Anderson, two boys taken from their abusive parents, they’re taken onto a new journey they never imagined. They knew it was going to be hard, they knew it would be rewarding…but they never thought they’d fall in love so completely and totally so quickly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have severely simplified the Foster Care system for the sake of the story. I’ve tried to keep a semblance of the complexity of it for the sake of being believable, but for the most part you’re going to have to turn on your suspension of disbelief. I’ve also fucked with time lines too, of course. It’s set in modern times despite the fact they’re about 10+ years too young. Just another thing to go along with!

When most people reach a big break financially they use their money to go on a long vacation, go on a cruise, maybe buy a new home. But Carole and Burt Hummel-Hudson were not greedy people. Sure, they liked going on vacations and they were happy to keep their 6 year old boys content while also being financially comfortable, but when Carole hit a big break at work and earned a big promotion, Burt and Carole didn’t get anything material. No, they did something they’d always wanted to do.

They became foster parents.

Burt had always wanted a lot of kids. He’d wanted to be a Brady Bunch kind of dad. Not with the sage advice and stupid haircut, but with the three sons and three daughters. But when Elizabeth passed so early Burt never thought he’d get that dream. But after meeting Carole and gaining a son in Finn, Burt thought maybe his dream was still obtainable. But with Carole’s inability to conceive anymore children, Burt and Carole had many discussions on what they were going to do about having more kids.

The idea to be foster parents was their first and last idea, and they knew it was what they needed to do.

It was a long process, the long courses and background checks and paper work seemed to take forever, but Burt and Carole were excited when they officially became certified foster parents. But when the day came and he’d been at the office, sitting patiently, the woman who worked there seemed to find some paper work troubling.

“Well, see…” She stared biting her lip, “We’ve found you a nice match for your home. His name is Blaine and he’s the just a bit younger than your boys at home.”

Burt’s eyes lit up, “Well that sounds great!” He paused, “But…what seems to be the problem?”

The worker paused for a moment before saying, “Well, see, we’ve been having some…issues with this boy.”

Burt stopped at that. Issues? What could that mean? Burt and Carole had known when they signed up for this that they could get some very troubled kids. He could be an arsonist, into drugs, maybe even in a gang. _Do we really want to bring that into our home?_ They had wondered when first discussing. But they had ultimately decided that this is what they wanted to do.

Then again, this boy was only 5.

“What do you mean – issues?” Burt asked slowly.

“Well, see, he has not been in the system for long. Maybe a few months if that. He came from a very abusive home. He’s a sweet boy, quiet, but he also has an older brother. And the two have been separated every time we try to find them a home and…well, they cause problems in their new homes.”

Burt paused, brow furrowed, “If he’s a sweet and quiet boy how is he causing problems?”

She shook her head, “No, I mean, he _makes_ the problems. He acts out, freaks out, until the family asks for him to be removed. His older brother does the same thing. They _cause_ their removals purposely so that they can return to the system together and not be separated.”

Burt let out a drawn out ‘Oh.’ It made sense, two brothers bound together from an abusive life. Of course they wouldn’t want to be apart. Why would they want to be apart?

“Well…why don’t we take both of them?”

And that was history. More paperwork and more meetings and soon enough, Burt was arriving at the facility to pick up his foster sons. He’ll never forget the way he walked into the room and found a teenage boy standing there. He had a dark look on his face, arms crossed tightly over his chest. He gave Burt a harsh look at he entered.

“You must be Cooper.” Burt had said brightly, trying to ease the boy up. He shrank away from Burt’s hand, but Burt understood. After coming from a severely abusive home (the files made Burt sick, he could barely think about it) it only made sense he wouldn’t trust Burt.

But then, a door opened and a little boy, a tiny, tiny thing with a mess of dark curls atop his head came warily into the room. As soon as Cooper noticed the boy his look instantly softened. “Blainey,” He called, and instantly the child was at his side, hugging his leg tight. Cooper placed his hand in little Blaine’s curls, needing contact with him.

He then paused, looking from Blaine to Burt. “Which one of us are you taking?” He asked harshly, dark look back.

Burt had given him an odd look, laughing slightly. “Well, both of you.”

Burt could never have pictured a more heartbreaking moment in his life. The way Cooper’s eyes widened, the way his jaw went slack. The pure shock and unadulterated relief that seemed to wash over him as he realized no, he and his brother weren’t about to be separated.

“B—both of us? You’re taking…both of us.” He spoke slowly, as if trying very hard to process the situation before him. He looked down at his little brother and then back up at Burt. Back and forth and back and forth, unsure of if he should believe Burt or not.

“Yes,” Burt smiled warmly, “Both of you. Now I have your bags, why don’t you boys follow me and we can head home.”

Little Blaine, still attached to Cooper’s leg, peeked his face out from his brother’s thigh for the first time since he attached himself to him. “We’re going together, Coopy?” He whispered, his voice so quiet Burt barely heard him.

“I—yeah, Blainey, we’re going together.” Cooper almost had a laughing tone to his voice, as if he almost didn’t believe this was happening. He reached down and picked Blaine up. For a five year old, the boy was very small. Too small for his age. Burt wasn’t sure if he was just a late bloomer or if it was because of his…upbringing.

Burt forced a smile, trying not to feel heartbroken by the boys before him. _You can make this ok,_ He told himself in his head, _You can make **them** ok_. He knew it was a bold goal, but at this point he didn’t care. He wanted nothing more than to make these brothers smile.

“I’m sorry we weren’t able to meet first, but there simply wasn’t enough time.” He stepped closer to them, his step faltering slightly when Cooper shrank back a little, his hold subtly tightening on the boy in his arms. “Uh—I—my name is Burt Hummel. You can – you can call me whatever you want really…just not something disrespectful.” Cooper nodded seriously, as if taking serious instruction. Burt wasn’t sure why his stomach twisted at that. “I wanted my wife and sons to be here for this, but they had choir practice, so it’s sadly just me.”

“You have sons?” Cooper asked cautiously, as if unsure if he was allowed to speak. But at the question Burt’s eyes lit up, excited for some real conversation.

“Yeah!” He said brightly, “I have two sons, Kurt and Finn. They’re actually about your age, Blaine.” Burt said, meeting Blaine’s eyes. Immediately, the little boy hid his face into his brother’s shoulder. Burt stood back, not deterred. He knew what these boys had been through. The files were still giving him nightmares. But at the rejection, Cooper seemed to worry a little.

“He—uh, he’s shy.” Cooper said quickly, as if asking for forgiveness.

Burt smiled warmly at the 16 year old and shook his head. “Oh, it’s alright! If anything, having a shy boy in the home will be a nice change. Kurt is _quite_ the chatterbox. His step brother Finn is even worse.” Burt laughed, unable not to at the thought of his sons. At the mention of other boys, Blaine peeked a glance at Burt, picking his head up slightly. “Well, c’mon boys. We can head home now.”

Cooper diligently followed, his hold tight on his little brother as he followed his new foster father. After talking to a few more people, the three were out at Burt’s SUV.

“Uh…” Cooper seemed to pause for a second, unsure if he should say what was on his mind.

“What is it, son?” Burt asked, turning around.

Cooper seemed to pause, falter even, at Burt’s use of the word ‘son’, but he powered on anyway. “Blaine’s—he’s a little small. Do you um, have a car seat? Or a booster seat?”

Burt smiled bright, “Yup, they warned me about that. Kurt just outgrew his seat, he was very happy to be rid of it but lucky for us Carole and I held onto it! I’ve got it in the backseat.” Cooper nodded, head back down and eyes on the ground as Burt opened the back seat door. Burt took a step back and watched the way Cooper stepped in and diligently but gently buckled his brother in. Blaine’s eyes stayed locked on Cooper the whole time, watching his face as he placed him in the seat and buckled him in. Once he was situated, Cooper leaned out, glancing to Burt.

Burt quickly said, “Uh, hey, if you want to sit in the back with him go right ahead! I won’t be lonely up in front.” He laughed awkwardly, and Cooper gave a short nod, climbing into the backseat beside his brother. Burt shut the door, but as he did so he didn’t miss the way the five year old reached down and took his brother’s hand.

Burt turned away from the car for a moment, making sure the boy’s wouldn’t see him as he tried to collect himself. _Fuck, Burt, this is what you signed up for. You knew their story. You saw the files. The last thing they need is you being a blubbering idiot._

After a few deep breaths, Burt got in the driver’s seat and started the car. “Is there any radio station you boys prefer?” When met with silence, Burt glanced into the rear-view mirror to see Cooper and Blaine looking at each other, seemingly trying to decide what to say. “What, you don’t like the radio?”

“We, um, haven’t listened to too much radio.” Cooper said slowly. Immediately Burt wanted to smack himself. These boys were abused and neglected; of course they didn’t have time to find their favorite radio station when simply trying to survive.

“Oh, well, uh, is there any kind of music you really like?” When neither of them spoke again, Burt added, “C’mon, you boys have to like something.” He smiled disarmingly at them.

“Well, um, Blaine really likes pop music.” Cooper supplied meekly, as if worried he’d crossed some line.

“Sounds great!” Burt said brightly, trying to make the two as at ease as possible. Burt didn’t have to search too far to find a pop station, “You know my boy Kurt loves pop music too. He’s only a little older than you Blaine, a couple months. You two will probably get along really well.”

“You hear that, Blainey?” Burt heard Cooper say quietly to the boy, “The boys are your age. I bet they’re real nice too. You’re going to have a lot of fun with them.” Blaine seemed semi-hesitant about the thought, but seemed to take his brother’s word for gospel and nodded in agreement.

Burt played the pop station, and every now and then glanced in the rear-view mirror. He didn’t miss the way little Blaine’s head bopped along with the music every now and then. And anytime Burt accidentally made eye-contact with Cooper he was sure to smile bright, but the boy still immediately looked away every time.

As they neared the house, Burt glanced to the boys again. “Here we are, boys!” He said brightly, “It’s not much, but it’s home.”

Neither boy in the back said anything, they merely looked up to the house in slight awe. Without any prompting, Cooper got out of the car and extracted his brother as well. The second his little feet touched the group, Blaine’s hand shot up and took Cooper’s. Burt tried not to think too hard about it, about the constant need to be touching and what it could mean. Instead, he ushered the boys up the front steps.

“It looks like Carole and the boy’s aren’t home yet but that’s ok! We can get the two of you settled in before dinner.” Burt gathered Blaine and Cooper’s meager two duffle bags, waving Cooper off when he tried to help.

Now Carole and Burt had been a little rushed in their attempts to get the room ready for the boys. They’d been ready for one child for a while now, their guest bedroom turned into a child’s room long ago when they first started the foster parent process. But when they knew who they were getting they tried to make the room as personalized as possible.

Burt had carved a ‘B’ and a ‘C’ from wood and painted them white, mounting them on the light blue wall of the room on either side of the window. The walls were decorated with simple trim of a sea scene. The bedspread was a pale green print and all the dressers and tables were a muted white. Kurt had helped Carole in decorating, adding little decorative items here and there. They’d also tried to clothes shop. They didn’t get too much, very basic things based off the sizes they’d been told. They did of course plan to go shopping later on with the boys, but for now they did need basics in case they didn’t have much with them. And as Burt carried their light bags up the stairs, he was thankful Carole had thought to do that.

Burt had even put a computer in the room for Cooper (with child locks already in place) and one or two computer games. He also added a toy chest. Both Finn and Kurt had offered to give some of their toys to Blaine, something Burt had been very proud of. Though Burt and Carole had only accepted one toy from each boy, they’d also purchased a few new toys for him.

It had all been a little rushed, all accomplished in a little over two days, but Burt was proud of the final product. And he really hoped the boys would like it too.

But as Burt entered the room, placing their bags on the chest at the foot of the bed, he turned to see both boys had stopped dead in the doorway. “Uh, I—I know it’s a little meager. We didn’t have a lot of time to get everything you’d need, but we can always go to the store together.”

“No, sir, this is—this is wonderful.” Cooper said quietly, eyes still roaming the room. 

“We actually have a pull-out bed that’s pretty comfortable until we can get you two beds-”

“No, sir, one bed is just fine.” Cooper said quickly, “We can share.”

Burt raised an eyebrow in surprise. Glancing to the queen sized bed, he asked, “Are you sure? It’s absolutely no trouble.” Cooper quickly shook his head, not saying another word. Burt smiled, “Well we can always get you one if you change your mind.” He carefully walked around them and into the hall, “I’m going to go call Carole and find out what’s going on. Feel free to make yourselves at home! You’re welcome anywhere in the house. This is your home now, so make it feel that way!” He joked, but still neither boy looked at him. “I’ll give you boys some time to settle in.”

The two brothers just continued to look around the room in slight awe as Burt excused himself. “Coopy?” Burt heard Blaine whisper, voice still barely audible to the father. “Is…is this all for us?”

Burt paused in the hall, listening silently to the boys as they spoke. “Yeah, Blainey. I think…I think this is all for us.”

“Even the toys?”

“Even the toys, buddy.”

“Coopy?”

“Yeah, Blainey?”

“I think I really like it here.”

Burt quickly made the rest of the way down the hall, unable to listen to the boys anymore. God it wasn’t even two hours in and Burt was already melting for them. Biting back the tears that wanted to break free, Burt powered on. He made his way downstairs with his cell phone in hand as he called his wife, mind set in stone as he decided he was going to prepare these boys the best banquet dinner they could ever dream of.

It was going to be the perfect beginning to their perfect new lives. Burt would make sure of it. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Burt and Carole applied to be foster parents they knew their life was going to change, not just for them but for their 6 year old sons as well. But when they take in Blaine and Cooper Anderson, two boys taken from their abusive parents, they’re taken onto a new journey they never imagined. They knew it was going to be hard, they knew it would be rewarding…but they never thought they’d fall in love so completely and totally so quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is pretty much introductory stuff, but regardless I hope you still enjoy it!

Burt was about half-way done with the fourth entrée when the front door slammed open.

“Are they here?? Are they here??” He quickly ran out from the kitchen to the walk-way so Finn wouldn’t go barreling up the steps and scare the shit out of their new family members. “Burt!” Finn cried excitedly when he saw his step father emerge from the kitchen. “Burt, are they here??”

Burt glanced to Carole and Kurt as they walked up, noting how Kurt as well was bouncing slightly, clearly filled with just as much excitement as Finn but at least trying to keep his more in-check.

“Boys can we talk in the kitchen for a second?” Burt asked, and both boys deflated a little. Clearly they just wanted to go upstairs and play with their new brothers. Burt was incredibly thankful for that, but the boys needed to understand that Cooper and Blaine weren’t just ordinary boys.

As Finn and Kurt walked into the kitchen, Burt hung back as Carole quietly asked, “How are they?”

Burt couldn’t stop the first words that tumbled out of his mouth, “Carole you’re going to _love_ them.” Immediately the woman before him practically turned to a pile of goo right there. “But they’re…they’re scared. Well not scared just…cautious. Very cautious.” Carole nodded, her look hardening. She’d read the files too. She knew what these poor things had been through. She could only guess what kind of nightmares these poor boys had, what kind of monsters they saw in everyday people.

“But they’re…they’re nice boys?”

Burt smiled, “Oh, Carole, they’re the sweetest.” He was unable _not_ to gush when he thought of those sweet boys upstairs. “They’re very attached to each other, though. Blaine is always touching Cooper somehow. It’s just…”

“Heartbreaking?” Carole supplied, to which Burt nodded.

“Are you guys gonna talk out there all night?” Finn called from the kitchen, making Burt snort and Carole chuckle. The parents made their way into the kitchen, where Kurt sat at the kitchen table and Finn tried to see what Burt was cooking. “Why are you making so much stuff?”

“Because I want Blaine and Cooper to have an amazing welcome home meal.” Burt answered, ushering the boy to sit beside his brother. “Ok, now boys. I know you’re excited about Blaine and Cooper-”

“I’m getting an older brother _and_ a younger brother!” Finn exploded, cutting Burt off, “I’m so excited!!”

Burt chuckled, shaking his head at Finn. “I know you are son, but listen. I need you boys to understand…Blaine and Cooper, they’re…well, they’re very special.”

“Carole says we’re special all the time.” Finn supplied, to which Kurt rolled his eyes.

“This is a different kind of special, Finn. A bad kind.”

“No, it’s not a bad kind, Kurt.” Carole cut in, placing a hand on Burt’s arm. “They’re just special. They’ve been through a lot and they’re still recovering from it.”

Kurt bit his lip, “Did they lose their mom too?”

Burt knelt down in front of his son, looking from Kurt to Finn. “They never knew their mother.” He said sadly, to which Finn looked horrified.

“They never knew their mom? Not even from pictures or stories?”

Burt shook his head, “But that’s not what…” He sighed deeply, trying to figure out the best way to tell this story delicately. “Ok, boys, listen very carefully ok? Blaine and Cooper…they’ve been hurt. Their father wasn’t a nice man and he hurt them.”

“They’re _dad_ hurt them?” Kurt asked quietly, as if such an idea had never occurred to him.

Burt nodded sadly, “Yes, their father was a horrible man. But that’s why _we’re_ they’re family now. We’re going to give them a nice home and be incredibly accommodating to them, ok?”

“What does accommodating mean?” Finn asked, and though Kurt tried to hold a superior look Burt could tell he wanted to ask the same thing.

“It means we’ll give them anything they need.” Carole supplied, “Within reason, of course. But we’re going to make this a home for them. This _is_ home for them now. And we want it to feel that way. We want them to feel comfortable and loved, ok? Can you boys do that?” Both of them nodded seriously, very serious about the task at hand. “But you also need to remember to be…well, delicate. They may not be ready for you to be yelling and screaming and running around like crazy ok? They may get nervous or scared…don’t be upset if they run away from you or seem scared, ok? We just need to help them get used to our home and us. We can all help them do that, right?” Both boys nodded once again, and Carole couldn’t help but smile. Bending down she kissed them both on the forehead. “You’re both wonderful boys.”

“Mooooom.” Finn whined, to which Carole chuckled.

“I just love you boys so much. Thank you for being so good about this.”

Burt glanced to the food on the stove and said, “I’m going to finish this up and start getting everything ready. Why don’t you boys set the table?” Finn and Kurt quickly did as asked, making sure to make the place settings for Blaine and Cooper extra neat. As they got the many dishes Burt had prepared settled on the table, Burt said, “Alright, I’m going to go get them ok?” Everyone nodded, Finn and Kurt running around the room trying to find the best spot to greet their new brothers from. Burt chuckled and shook his head as he exited the room.

Making his way upstairs he cautiously turned into the boys’ room, knocking lightly on the door. He found the room still was in pristine condition, though the duffle bags were no longer in sight. Cooper and Blaine’s shoes were neatly lined up at the foot of the bed, and both boys were curled up on top of the bed. Blaine was fast asleep, Cooper curled around him. At the knock, Cooper, whose eyes had been open and staring off into space, quickly jerked his head up to look at Burt.

“Oh, I’m sorry boys.” Burt smiled, “I didn’t mean to interrupt your nap.”

Cooper quickly shook his head, “No, no, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d be coming back so soon-”

Burt smiled warmly, though it was forced thanks to how desperate Cooper sounded. “It’s ok son, just take a breath. I’m not going to get angry because you boys decided to take a nap.” Cooper paused at that, as if considering it. Burt wondered how these boys managed to make trouble in their other homes when all they were trying to do here was not make Burt angry. Perhaps because they _wanted_ to stay here? Burt could only hope. “I don’t mean to wake him, but dinner is ready.”

Cooper nodded, looking at Burt for a long moment, as if considering him before looking down to his little brother. “Hey…buddy, wake up.” The five year old blinked his eyes open, glancing up to his brother. “It’s dinner time, Blainey. I know you’re hungry.” Cooper smiled warmly, laughingly, down at his brother. Burt hoped one day he could make both boys smile like that.

“I am.” Blaine said quietly, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

“Well I’m glad to hear it,” Burt joked, causing Blaine to notice him for the first time. As he looked to Burt, Blaine didn’t shy away this time. But still, he reached over and took his brother’s hand without a word. “I made a lot of food. And Carole and the boys are here, are you up to meeting them?”

Blaine paused, looking to Cooper who gave Blaine a brave smile. “We’re ready to meet them, right, Blainey?” At his brother’s assurance, Blaine nodded too, looking back to Burt.

“Well c’mon, boys. They’re down in the kitchen.” Cooper nodded and climbed off the bed, taking Blaine with him. As they went for their shoes Burt shook his head, “You boys don’t have to wear shoes inside if you don’t want to. The boys certainly don’t.” Cooper nodded and left the shoes, leading Blaine behind Burt as they made their way downstairs. “Now Kurt and Finn are very…rambunctious. Don’t be put off by them. They’re just really excited to meet you guys.” Burt laughed, glancing back to the boys. At their surprised looks, Burt wanted to punch something. They shouldn’t be surprised someone is excited to meet them.

As they rounded into the kitchen, Burt found Finn and Kurt standing in odd positions, trying to look as nonchalant as possible, but as soon as they laid eyes on Blaine and Cooper they dropped the acts and their eyes lit up. They thankfully didn’t bolt forward at the boys, but from the ways their legs shook Burt could tell they were resisting the urge.

“Hi!” Kurt said, the first to speak. Burt smiled, and made his way to stand with his wife and sons. Kurt took slow steps forward (or at least, slow for him) and held out his hand in front of Blaine, looking between the five year old and Cooper. “My name is Kurt! I’m six and a half and my dad said you’re about to turn six so we’re the same age!”

Blaine looked from Kurt to his hand then up to Cooper. Cooper gave Blaine an encouraging look, nodding, to which Blaine took Kurt’s hand and cautiously shook it. Burt could even see the ghost of a smile form on his lips as he looked at Kurt’s face. Kurt’s smile grew about ten sizes at that.

Finn was suddenly at Kurt’s side too. Blaine flinched at the sudden arrival but surprisingly enough didn’t shrink away into Cooper’s leg. “I’m Finn!” He said excitedly, looking from Blaine to Cooper. “I’m Kurt’s brother. I’m the same age too!”

“You’re a month _younger_ than me, Finn!” Kurt cried, clearly triumphant.

“But you just told Blaine he’s you’re age even though he’s younger.” Finn whined, pouting.

“Yeah, because _Blaine_ is special!” Kurt said, turning back to Blaine and smiling bright. “Aren’t you, Blaine?”

Though Blaine still didn’t smile, Burt could see a light in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. Looking up to Cooper for approval, Cooper actually laughed slightly. “Yes, Blainey, you are special.”

Finn looked back up at Cooper as he spoke, looking almost awed by him. “I always wanted an older brother.” He told him, “Kurt says he’s my older brother but he’s not a _real_ older brother. I know you’re Blaine’s older brother but do you think you could be mine too?”

At that, Cooper’s jaw dropped a little, surprised by the kind words. If Burt didn’t know any better, he’d say Cooper almost wanted to cry. “Me too!” Kurt cut in, “I want a big brother too!” Looking to Blaine, Kurt asked, “Blaine, can we share your big brother?”

Blaine took a slight step closer to Cooper, his tiny hand tightening in Cooper’s hold. He looked from Cooper to Finn and Kurt and seemed to consider the question for a long moment, before eventually he looked up to Cooper and nodded.

Cooper smiled at Finn and Kurt, a smile that didn’t look forced at all, and nodded himself, “Well, I suppose I’ve gained some little brothers!” At that Kurt and Finn cheered, and Finn even hugged Cooper. At that motion, Burt didn’t miss the way Blaine wrapped an arm around Cooper’s leg, as if wordlessly trying to assert that he’s Cooper’s brother first. But still, he had that light in his eyes.

Burt couldn’t help but marvel at how the teen who’d been terrified to make eye contact with him was so amazing with his sons. Sure, Burt knew logically that it was because adults had fucked Cooper over his whole life, that the only constant had been his little brother whom he had to raise. Of course he was going to be amazing with children and terrified of adults. But even so, it was a wonderful sight to see. One that both broke and warmed Burt’s heart in the same moment.

“And before the boys swallow all your attention, I’m Carole.” Carole said, stepping up and holding out her hand for Cooper to shake as Finn and Kurt stepped off to the side.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, ma’am. You have a beautiful home.” Cooper said, that timid, closed-off persona right back in place.

Carole smiled warmly, “Thank you sweetheart, that’s kind of you to say.” She looked down to Blaine and smiled, kneeling down she held out her hand, “I’m Carole, Blaine. It’s nice to meet you!”

Blaine, once again, glanced up to Cooper for permission before he took Carole’s hand and shook it. His hand was so small within hers, so tiny and fragile. _He_ was so tiny and fragile, Cooper too. They were just kids. Burt and Carole couldn’t even fathom anyone ever _thinking_ about hurting them let alone actually doing it.

Burt shook the horrible thoughts from his head. That was the past. Cooper and Blaine were in a safe home now. Hopefully a home they’d grow to love. “Well why don’t we eat before dinner gets cold?” Burt asked. Cooper and Blaine nodded, following the family to the table. But as they took in all the food, their jaws dropped.

“You…you didn’t make all of this for us, did you?” Cooper asked nervously.

Burt smiled bright, “Of course we did! This is your ‘welcome home’ dinner!” He turned to the table, “Now first I made steak but then I wasn’t sure if you liked beef so I made chicken but then I didn’t know if you even ate meat so I made Mac and Cheese but then I realized – what if they don’t like cheese? So I made mashed potatoes too and then of course we needed a salad and some dinner rolls and…I went a little overboard.” Burt laughed embarrassedly, shaking his head.

Carole came over and patted his cheek lovingly, “That’s why we love Burt. He tries way too hard.” She laughed. But Blaine and Cooper were still mesmerized by all the food.

“You—I—you didn’t have to go through all this trouble, sir.” Cooper said, looking almost ashamed that Burt made all this food for them.

“Nonsense! It’s no trouble at all! Like I said, this is your home now and I want you boys to feel like it is!” Burt didn’t miss the way Cooper’s lower lip quivered ever so slightly. Quickly he said, “Why don’t you boys sit down and dig in!” Cooper nodded, reaching down and lifting Blaine and placing him in the booster seat set for him.

Both boys waited, not filling their plates until Carole actually told them they could take whatever they wanted. Even then they took meager amounts, Cooper filling Blaine’s plate for him and taking less for himself. It took multiple comments of ‘This is for you, take as much as you want’ for Cooper to actually go in for seconds. After a while of watching Cooper look almost longingly at the food when he’d finished his meager portions, Burt simply leaned over and loaded up both Cooper and Blaine’s plates with a smile.

As dinner wore on, as Kurt and Finn chatted about choir practice and Carole told Burt about her day, Burt couldn’t help but keep looking at Cooper and Blaine. He watched as Blaine, even as he ate, reached over and wordlessly took Cooper’s hand. He watched as Cooper kept looking to Blaine, smiling at him, encouraging him to eat up. Burt wondered when the last time they’d received such a big meal and such a warm welcome was. Had the other homes they’d been so been this nice? Had it even mattered since they were separated? Burt didn’t know, he probably would never know.

All he was sure of now was that these boys were _his_ boys now. He was going to do everything it took to make them safe, to make them happy, to make them _smile_. And from the way Kurt kept looking across the table to Blaine, Burt knew Kurt had similar goals. The father had never been prouder of his son.

And just like that, just from one simple dinner, the family of four had become a family of six. And Burt couldn’t be more excited to have many more nights just like this with his boys. _All_ his boys. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Burt and Carole applied to be foster parents they knew their life was going to change, not just for them but for their 6 year old sons as well. But when they take in Blaine and Cooper Anderson, two boys taken from their abusive parents, they’re taken onto a new journey they never imagined. They knew it was going to be hard, they knew it would be rewarding…but they never thought they’d fall in love so completely and totally so quickly

Burt wasn’t sure what had awoken him. All he could hear was the echo of a scream from his dream, a distant cry of a child. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, heart racing. What had he been dreaming? He couldn’t even remember. All he could remember was that cry, that soft high-pitched scream.

He scrambled his brain trying to think of why he would have awoke so quickly, when a soft sound made him stop. He couldn’t quiet diagnose what the sound was, but it wasn’t a normal sound of the night. It was soft, but it was…strange.

That was when it hit the father like a slap to the face. _The scream wasn’t in his dream._

Without thinking, Burt sat up quickly, knocking back his blankets. In the process, Carole stirred. “What’s wrong?” She asked, voice soft from sleep. “Burt?”

“Nothing, hon.” Burt said, standing. “Go back to sleep.”

She sat up on her elbows, now more awake, “Are you sure? Nothing’s wrong?”

Burt shook his head, “Nothing—nothing, I just thought I heard something. I’m gonna check on the boys.”

Carole paused for a moment, then nodded. “It’s the first night. There’s bound to be some nightmares.”

Burt sighed heavily, “After all they’ve been through, who could blame them?”

“I meant for you.” Burt paused, raising an eyebrow at his wife. She smiled, shook her head. “Just go check on them.” She said, falling back against her pillows. “Tell me if something’s wrong?” She added after a moment, and Burt couldn’t help but smirk. He knew Carole was just as overly concerned as he was.

Without another word, the father walked from the room. He silently padded down the hall, poking his head into Kurt and Finn’s rooms as he passed. He was thankful to find they were fast asleep – for once, the father was thankful those boys were harder to wake than the dead. Burt made his way to the end of the hall, to the room with the door open halfway. Burt didn’t even make it fully to the door when he heard it. It was soft, barely audible, but Burt could hear it.

_...in dreams you will lose your heartache,_ _whatever you wish for you keep._

Burt froze in the doorway, peering in slowly. On the bed, Cooper was sitting up, right in the middle. In his arms, Burt almost didn’t see him, sat Blaine. He was curled against Cooper’s chest, Cooper holding him tight. His little head was tucked under Cooper’s chin, and Cooper was rocking him slightly.

_No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, a dream that you wish will come true…_

Burt took a step back, pressing a hand on his mouth. Cooper was _singing to Blaine_. Burt hadn’t dreamt the scream. Blaine had actually screamed, clearly woken from a horrible nightmare. And now Cooper was singing Blaine back to sleep. And if Burt wasn’t imagining it, he was sure he heard the little guy sniffling, calming down from tears.

Burt bit his lip hard. He couldn’t interrupt a moment like this. He may be their foster father but he wasn’t their family…not yet. Hell, Blaine hadn’t even spoken one word to him yet. Those brothers were each other’s anchors, Burt wasn’t part of the equation yet. So, the father stepped away from the door and allowed the brothers their privacy. He made his way back to his bedroom, his heart heavy and mind reeling with far too many thoughts. He wasn’t sure how he was going to make things ok for these boys, but he was going to do it. Somehow, some way, he was going to make things ok. He was going to make sure one day those boys would be able to sleep at night without any nightmares. He had to make things ok, not just for them but for himself too.

“Everything ok?” Carole mumbled as Burt climbed into bed. She curled around her husband and he lay down in bed, staring at the ceiling once again.

“It will be.” Burt whispered, more to himself than to his wife, “It will be.”

00

When Blaine opened his eyes, it took him a moment to realize where he was. He was wrapped up in his brother’s arms, his favorite way to sleep, but he wasn’t at the facility. He was in a nice big bed in a nice big room. _His_ room. His and Cooper’s room.

_I didn’t dream it._

Blaine sat up, carefully detaching himself from his brother’s arms, and looked around the room, taking in the light walls and the cute decorations. The sun streamed in lightly through the curtains, and Blaine had an overwhelming sense of calm as he looked around.

He looked from the room, down to his brother who still lay asleep beside him. Cooper’s hair lay in his eyes, disheveled from sleep, and his arms still lay around Blaine, still touching him ever so slightly even after Blaine detached himself. Looking from the room to his brother to the room to his brother, Blaine almost felt a smile tugging at his lips.

_This is real. I didn’t dream it._

Blaine carefully scooted to the edge of the bed, trying to be careful not to wake his brother. Usually, Cooper was awake long before Blaine, ready to help him get ready for the day. _I won’t need his help today. I can let him sleep!_ Excitedly, the five-almost-six-year-old carefully scurried to the door. But as he hit the door he paused, remembering _wait, would Mr. Burt be ok with this?_

Blaine looked back and forth between the bedroom and the hallway. The bedroom, the hallway, being a good boy, and possibly being a bad boy. Blaine took a soft, shaky step into the hall. He waddled for a second, going back and forth between taking a step down the hall and then back to the door. He wasn’t sure what he was allowed to do. Should he stay in bed and wait for Mr. Burt to tell him what to do? Mr. Burt seemed kind of nice, much nicer than anyone else Blaine had ended up with, surely…he wouldn’t get mad at Blaine would he?

_That’s what you thought about daddy sometimes_ , the five year old reminded himself. _Daddy would smile and you’d think everything would be ok, but then he’d take off his belt and everything was **bad**_.

He shook his head almost violently, his curls falling against his forehead. He thought of Mr. Burt’s smile, his gentle voice. He tried to think of Mr. Burt hurting him. Blaine knew he could, maybe would…but Blaine didn’t want to believe it. He took Cooper _and_ Blaine. He didn’t separate them. He gave them a bedroom. He gave them _toys_. He made them dinner. He gave them _brothers_.

Blaine bit his lip. Mr. Burt seemed so different, so nice. But could he be just like the others.

Blaine’s legs twitched, he did an odd little panicked dance in the hallway, not moving but staring at his bedroom. Then, suddenly, he wasn’t alone. “Blaine?”

The five-year-old jumped, panic filling him and breath quickening. He turned to see Mr. Burt standing in the doorway of his bedroom. He wore his pajamas and a robe, clearly he just woke up too. Blaine’s breath caught in his throat. This was it, this was the test. Was Mr. Burt’s smile real, or was he going to hurt Blaine?

“Are you ok, son?”

Blaine shrank back a little, unconsciously, as Mr. Burt took a step toward him. It was that word, ‘son’. Cooper didn’t like that word. Whenever anyone used that word Cooper got rigid and his hugs hurt. Blaine wasn’t sure what was wrong with it but he knew it was a bad word for them.

But Mr. Burt…his voice was gentle.

Blaine glanced to his bedroom. “Do you have to go to the bathroom, buddy?” Mr. Burt asked. Blaine looked back to him and shook his head. “Is something wrong? Is Cooper sick?” Blaine bit his lip, shaking his head. Mr. Burt was so nice, his voice was so soft, there was no way he’d hurt Blaine, right?

Blaine didn’t even shrink back as Mr. Burt came and knelt in front of him. “What’s the matter, buddy?” Blaine bit his lip even harder, looking to the floor, to his bedroom, back to the floor. He didn’t know if he should say, _what_ he should even say. “You know, Blaine?” The child slowly lifted his eyes to look at Mr. Burt. “Blaine, this is your home too. I told you that and I meant it. You can go anywhere you want, do whatever you want. You don’t have to worry about getting in trouble, ok?”

Blaine stared at Mr. Burt in awe for a moment, how had he known?

Mr. Burt’s smile was back and Blaine didn’t question it this time…it made him feel at ease. “So Blaine.” Mr. Burt said, standing up, “What do you want to do?”

Blaine paused, glancing back to his bedroom, wishing Cooper was there. Cooper always knew what Blaine wanted to say, always knew if it was ok or not. But Cooper was sleeping…and Blaine was going to help him, he’d almost forgotten that was what he’d wanted to do that morning.

“I…” Blaine started slowly, voice quiet, “I want to make Coopy breakfast.”

Mr. Burt’s eyes lit up at that. He looked happier than Blaine had seen him yet. Blaine felt a smile start to tug at his lips too, Mr. Burt looking so happy made him happy too. “Well, let’s go make him breakfast, then!” Mr. Burt said excitedly. And then, he held out his hand and Blaine hesitated, only for just a second, before reaching up and taking Mr. Burt’s hand.

It was rough, but not like daddy’s hands had been rough. Daddy’s hands had been soft. The skin of his hands had been smooth, not a mark on them. But the way they touched Blaine was anything but soft. His touch was a lie – it looked tender, kind…but then it stung, it _hurt_.

Mr. Burt’s touch was different. His hands looked rough, large, almost intimidating. But their hold was soft. It was gentle. He cradled Blaine’s hand in his like it was the most precious, fragile thing in the world. It didn’t hurt, it was the opposite of hurt. It was…was it love?

Blaine glanced from their entwined hands up to Mr. Burt, who was looking down at him with the kindest smile Blaine had ever seen from anyone but Cooper. “C’mon, buddy.” He said warmly, “Let’s go make breakfast.”

00

Cooper awoke suddenly, he wasn’t sure what jerked him awake, but he was awake now. “Morning, Blainey.” He mumbled as he blinked himself awake, reaching over to pat where Blaine had been.

His heart stopped in his chest and he noticed his brother wasn’t there.

He shot up, looking around the room, expecting to see a shitty, tiny bedroom filled with other foster kids and poor lighting. That was usually what he saw when Blaine wasn’t beside him. But as he looked around, that wasn’t what he saw. He saw blue walls and light streaming through decorative curtains and a room designed especially for him and his little brother.

So…where was his little brother?

Cooper knew he shouldn’t panic. A rational part of his brain told him that this was a safe place, Blaine was probably in the bathroom or something. It’s not like he was locked in a closet or being beaten with a belt.

But still, Cooper found himself unable to breathe as he threw back the sheets and bolted for the door. As he rushed down the hall he glanced into each room, seeing Kurt, Finn, and Carole all still asleep in their respective room. Cooper thought maybe he should be thankful for that, to think that this was a real place that he hadn’t dreamt, he was still here. But the panic coursing through him since his brother was out of his sight was stopping that.

Cooper flew down the stairs, actually pretty quiet about it since he barely touched each step. He rounded the banister, nearly colliding with the wall as he turned the corner. He found himself stopping dead though as he hit the kitchen doorway.

There, standing on a stool in front of the counter, was Blaine.

The five year old was currently swaddled in an apron, trying to conquer the too-large spatula in his hands while wrestling with a pancake on the skillet in front of him. But that wasn’t what was what made Cooper freeze. It was the gentle way Burt stood behind him, the way Blaine was leaning into the father’s chest for support, the way Burt’s hands gently covered Blaine’s and helped him flip the pancake. But most of all, it was the big, excited, _genuine_ smile on Blaine’s face.

In unison, Burt and Blaine looked up at the same time. Blaine’s smile grew even more as he took in his brother, his face looking ready to crack in half. “Coopy!” He said excitedly. Cooper watch as Burt took a step back, taking the spatula and releasing Blaine as he hopped down from the stool and ran to his brother, nearly tripping on his apron. “Coopy, we’re making you pancakes!”

Cooper stood frozen, unsure of how to react to the situation before him. Usually, Blaine was a timid, scared little boy, only comfortable around his brother. Last night, Blaine had been terrified to look at Burt and now he was making pancakes with the guy, a huge smile on his face. What had flipped the switch in him? What had made Blaine trust the man so completely and so quickly?

At Cooper’s lack of reaction, Blaine shrunk back a little, his smile disappearing. “Did I do bad?” He whispered suddenly, hanging his head in shame, “I’m sorry Coopy.”

Cooper immediately jumpstarted, forcing himself to tune back in. “What? No! No, Blainey! You didn’t do anything wrong!” He knelt down, getting on Blaine’s level. Lifting up his little brother’s chin, he couldn’t help but smile at the flour all over Blaine’s face. Wiping it off idly with his thumb, Cooper smiled and glanced to Burt, who held a smile on his face but an odd look in his eye. “I _love_ pancakes.” Cooper finally said, and instantly Blaine’s smile was back.

“You do?” Blaine asked eagerly, and Cooper just nodded, though he knew for a fact neither he nor Blaine had ever had pancakes. But hey – there’s a first time for everything isn’t there? “Then let’s eat ‘em!!” He turned back around rushed to the kitchen table.

Cooper straightened up, watching Blaine until he turned to look at Burt. Burt was watching him, Cooper couldn’t read the look in his eye, he wasn’t sure what the man was thinking, and at this point he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. Cooper waited for Burt to make his move, waited for some kind of direction.

Finally, Burt held his hand out in a welcoming gesture. “C’mon, son.” He said quietly, “Let’s eat breakfast.”

Cooper nodded, taking the direction. Blaine had come to trust Burt but Cooper wasn’t sure he could yet. He wasn’t sure what Burt’s angle was yet. But still, he followed his brother to the kitchen table and took his seat, accepting the pancakes Burt placed on his and Blaine’s plates. Despite the inner turmoil, Cooper had to admit, this was the closest to normalcy he’d ever gotten.

And he really _was_ excited to try pancakes for the first time. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Burt and Carole applied to be foster parents they knew their life was going to change, not just for them but for their 6 year old sons as well. But when they take in Blaine and Cooper Anderson, two boys taken from their abusive parents, they’re taken onto a new journey they never imagined. They knew it was going to be hard, they knew it would be rewarding…but they never thought they’d fall in love so completely and totally so quickly

The first week living with the Hummel-Hudsons had been shockingly…normal. Cooper had never experienced such normalcy before. It was…well, it was weird, really. Every morning they woke up on their own (or, usually, to the sound of Burt trying to wake the dead- aka, Kurt and Finn) instead of by an angry foster parent (or worse, their drunken father). And if they didn’t wake up on their own, they’d be awoken by a soft knock on a door and a sweet smile from Carole.

“Good morning, boys.” She’d say everything morning, tone as kind as her smile. “Breakfast is ready if you’d like some.”

And every morning they’d go downstairs and eat breakfast with the whole family. Kurt and Finn would be half asleep, munching on toast or nibbling on eggs. But Blaine would be wide away, his little feet kicking against his booster seat as he happily ate whatever Burt or Carole had made that morning.

“So what are your plans today?” Burt would ask Blaine and Cooper each day. And the answer was usually a simple ‘I’m not sure’ or ‘Whatever you need us to do’ (though, the latter would usually get an incredulous look from both parents). It was all just so…domestic.

The Anderson brothers’ days in the Hummel-Hudson home usually consisted of reading a book from the family’s extensive library, watching a movie from their even more extensive movie collection, coloring (on Blaine’s part, though Cooper didn’t have to be fought to join), or tidying up the house (despite how many times the parents begged them not to).

The two were never alone, either. Burt ran a tire shop down the road and he’d worked from home for the majority of the week, but when he couldn’t be there Carole seemed to suddenly have the day off and spent it with the boys. She even took the boys clothes shopping one of their first days there. Despite Cooper’s protests, she bought them both an extensive new wardrobe, it was more clothes than Cooper had ever even seen. She even snuck in a few luxuries for them (a video game for Cooper and a new play set for Blaine). They’d only been there a few days and Cooper had never felt more love than all the other families he’d been in combined.

And, one of the best parts of the whole situation was the way it was affecting Blaine. The little boy was usually very reserved, he rarely spoke to anyone but Cooper. He was timid and shy and didn’t like to go anywhere or do anything without his brother. But within just a week of them moving in with the Hummel-Hudsons, Blaine had changed. He actually willing spoke aloud to everyone in the family at least once. He’d actually gone in different rooms of the house without Cooper. And, he’d taken a particular shining to Kurt. When Kurt was home from school, Blaine would color with him or play the different games Kurt liked to play, never had Cooper seen his brother that open with anyone else his age. It filled Cooper with such an odd joy, it was so relieving, so wonderful…

It was like he could suddenly breathe.

“Coopy,” Blaine said one night, crawling onto Cooper’s lap like a cat. “CJ,” He said when Cooper didn’t put his book down.

Smiling, Cooper put the book in his hands down beside him on the couch and asked, “What is it, Blainey?”

Blaine wrung his little hands for a second, biting his lip, before he looked up at Cooper with his big puppy-dog eyes. “Mr. Burt said we’re starting school tomorrow.” Cooper nodded, waiting to see where his little brother was going with this. “I…I’m scared.”

Cooper felt his heart constrict a little. Blaine had only been to school a few times, mainly because the two of them were always switching homes and therefore switching schools. It was his first year in school too, and of course it wasn’t going well yet. He was always the new kid, always the loner, always the scared little boy in the corner by himself.

And Cooper hated it. He hated that Blaine had to have that life. That he had to be that scared little boy. But as Cooper thought about their lives now, about the home they lived in and the family they lived with, he thought maybe Blaine wouldn’t have to be that scared little boy anymore. But what Cooper would never admit to Blaine, or even to himself, was he felt the same way.

Cooper was just a scared little boy, too.

After everything the two of them had been through, Cooper couldn’t help the caution, he couldn’t help but keep his walls up. He didn’t want to get hurt again, and even more so, he didn’t want _Blaine_ to get hurt again. And if Blaine was getting comfortable in this home, if Blaine was letting _his_ walls down, that just meant Cooper had to keep his up even higher, he had to be cautious enough for the both of them.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t let Blaine enjoy that ease.

Cooper reached up and smoothed his brother’s curls back, gently caressing his cheek. “You don’t need to be scared, buddy.” He said in a light tone, “It’s not going to be like all the other times, you’re going to have Kurt and Finn with you this time.” Blaine nodded but he didn’t look convinced. “Oh, buddy…” Cooper pressed his forehead to Blaine’s, the little brother locking eyes with him. “It’s gonna be ok, you hear me? And my school is only a phone call away. If you have any problems, if anything goes wrong, you just go to the office and you have them call me, ok? I’ll be there before they can even hang up the phone.”

Blaine laughed softly, blinking slowly. “You promise?”

“I promise buddy.” Blaine looked a little more at ease at that, but his nerves weren’t gone yet. “C’mere, buddy.” Cooper whispered, scooping Blaine into his arms. Blaine curled against his brother’s chest, head tucked under Cooper’s chin. “I know it’s scary, buddy.” He whispered, rocking him, “But it’ll be ok. Kurt and Finn will help you, and you’ll make friends, I know you will. And like I said, I’m just a phone call away.”

“Do you ever get scared, CJ?” Blaine whispered, voice light as he stared to drift to sleep.

Cooper hummed for a moment, trying to decide what he wanted to say, “I do,” he whispered finally, “But only when you’re out of sight.” When Blaine didn’t say anything, Cooper glanced down to him only to find the five-year-old was fast asleep. Cooper laughed lightly to himself, pressing a kiss into Blaine’s curls, “I love you Blainey,” he whispered, continuing to cuddle his brother on the couch, “It’ll be ok.”

And in that moment, Cooper didn’t know who he was talking to – Blaine, or himself.

00

Blaine stared down at his outfit for a long time. He tugged lightly on the bowtie around his neck. It had been Kurt’s suggestion. Kurt had bounced into Cooper and Blaine’s room, asking if they were excited for their first day of school. But as soon as he took in Blaine’s outfit of a button down shirt and jeans, he claimed he had the best idea and ran from the room. When he returned, he was holding a light pink bowtie, waving it like a flag. He even tied if for Blaine.

Now, as Blaine sat in the backseat of the van, Kurt at one side and Finn at the other, he found himself feeling a little less scared. And as his big brother turned around from the front seat to smile and give him a thumbs up, Blaine couldn’t stop his own smile.

Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad.

As they pulled up to the school, though, Blaine found his nervousness coming back. What if the other kids didn’t like him? What if they were mean to him just like everywhere else? Blaine looked back down at his outfit, it was much better than the old t-shirt and dirty jeans he usually wore. And he had to admit, the nice outfit sure did make him feel a lot better. But a nice outfit couldn’t ease all his fears.

Especially since Cooper wouldn’t be there.

But as they climbed out of the car, as Cooper gave him a tight hug, “It’ll be ok,” he whispered in Blaine’s ear, “You’re going to have a great time.” As they pulled apart, Cooper smoothed back Blaine’s curls and adjusted the tiny backpack on his shoulders. Swallowing hard he said, “I’ll see you after school, ok?”

Blaine nodded, sniffling lightly. Cooper stood beside the car, watching as Kurt, Finn and Blaine all walked into the school. Blaine glanced over his shoulder as he reached the door. Cooper was still standing beside the car. And when Blaine looked back, Cooper smiled, waved lightly. Blaine waved, trying to ignore his quivering lip.

But as they walked through the doors, and as Cooper went out of view, Blaine felt his eyes prickle with tears. He’d gone to school before, he’d been away from Cooper before, and he’d broken down all those times too. But at least this time he’d get to see Cooper again after school, so there was no need to cry, wasn’t there?

And as a small hand slipped into his, Blaine was reminded that he wasn’t alone.

Blaine glanced to Kurt, who was watching him. When they met eyes, Kurt smiled bright, squeezing his hand lightly. “It’ll be ok, Blaine.” Kurt promised, “We’re going to have fun!”

“Yeah!” Finn cut in from Blaine’s other side, “You can play with us and our friends, it’s gonna be awesome!”

Blaine couldn’t stop his smile from growing at that. “I know it’s hard without your brother,” Kurt said as they walked towards their classroom, “But, we’re kind of your brothers, aren’t we?” Blaine almost stumbled at that. Were they his brothers? Could they really be his brothers?

As Blaine looked at Finn and Kurt’s expectant faces, he couldn’t stop his smile, “Yeah,” He agreed quietly. Kurt’s smile grew and he squeezed Blaine hand once again as they entered the classroom.

“Mrs. Poole!” Kurt called excitedly, eyes no longer on Blaine as he tugged him towards their teacher, “Mrs. Poole, this is Blaine!”

Their teacher turned and looked down at Blaine, a kind smile on her face as she took him in. “Blaine!” She said brightly, crouching down so she was on eye-level with her students. “It’s nice to meet you sweetheart, Mr. Hummel told me all about you.” She held out her hand, but Blaine hesitated, staring at her hand.

“It’s ok, Blaine.” Kurt whispered, “She’s really nice.”

Blaine bit his lip, but slowly reached up and took her hand. She shook it lightly, her hands soft as a kitten. She smiled brightly at Blaine, asking, “I have a cubby for you in the back, it’s right on the end. Kurt can show you, you can go hang your things up. And your desk is right there, we’ll explain everything to you.”

Blaine nodded, swallowing his nerves as Kurt led him to the back of the room. Blaine went to the end of the line, finding a small cubby with his name on a label above it. Slipping his backpack onto the hook he glanced down to the other end of the line of cubbies where Kurt and Finn were stuffing their bags onto the hooks and putting away their coats.

Before, Blaine could hesitate any longer a new boy came into his view, “Hi!” He greeted brightly, putting his own backpack and coat into the cubby beside Blaine’s. “Are you Blaine??” Blaine jumped slightly at the boy’s excited nature. Without a word, he nodded. “Cool! We’re desk buddies!” Blaine’s face contorted in confusion, what did that mean? “I’m Sam! I like your bowtie!” Blaine took in the blond boy before him. He was bouncy, he was friendly, he was…nice.

Blaine liked him.

“Come on,” Sam said, “Our desks are over here!” Sam ran off, and Blaine glanced over to Kurt who smiled bright and nodded, Blaine nodded back, smiling softly, before slowly, cautiously following Sam, who was now up at their desks, all but bouncing as he waiting for Blaine.

Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad.

00

Cooper watched Blaine disappear out of sight and into the school building, trying to swallow the lump in his throat as he did.

“He’ll be ok, kid.” Cooper turned as Burt spoke, leaning against the roof of the car.

“I know.” Cooper said, getting back into the car and sitting down.

Burt got back into the car as well, “And so will you.” He said as he started the car. Cooper didn’t say anything into response to that. The two were quiet for the majority of the ride, until Burt finally spoke again. “It _will_ be ok, you know that right?” Burt asked.

“Saying that doesn’t make it true.” Cooper whispered, but as soon as the words left his mouth he regretted it. That wasn’t supposed to be out loud.

“Blaine has Finn and Kurt, he’ll be ok. And McKinley? It’s a fine school. I went there when I was your age. You’ll do well there.”

Cooper tugged lightly on the hem of his shirt, not looking up as Burt pulled up to the school. “Do you want me to walk you in?” Burt asked, putting the car into park. Cooper couldn’t stop the smile that formed on his face, “Hey, I had to ask.” Burt said jokingly, Cooper wasn’t smiling because it was a ridiculous request.

Cooper was smiling because no one in his whole life had ever offered to walk him into school.

“Hey,” Cooper looked over as Burt placed his hand lightly on his knee, “If you need anything, you just call ok?” Cooper nodded, opening the car door, grabbing his backpack from the floor. “And Cooper?” The teen looked back as he climbed out of the car. “Have a good day, son.”

There was that word again, _son_. Burt said it without a thought, always. It was just what it called all of them, Kurt, Finn, Blaine, Cooper. He called them all son, but…Cooper, Blaine – were they really his sons? Could that even be a possibility?

“Thank you, Burt.” Cooper whispered, getting out of the car and shutting the door.

Slipping his backpack on, he tugged lightly on the straps. He kept his head down, not looking at the students moseying on around him. With his eyes locked on the ground, Cooper made his way up the steps, fingering the papers he’d pulled from his backpack. As he reached the front door, Cooper turned to see Burt still in the car by the curb. The father waved, and Cooper couldn’t stop the genuine smile that spread across his lips. He waved back lightly, before turning and going into the school.

The smile stayed on his face, as he glanced to the papers in his hand. He followed the directions to his locker, and as he located it, he began to struggle with the lock. He followed the number on the paper, but it wasn’t exactly cooperating.

“Having some trouble there, pretty eyes?” Cooper jumped at the voice behind him. Turning, he found a short Latina girl behind him. Glancing around, Cooper tried to see who else she could possibly be talking to. “I’m talking to you, dumbass.”

At that, Cooper raised an eyebrow, who the hell was this chick? “Excuse me?”

“I had that locker last year. I can help you if you want.” Cooper glanced to the lock and back to her. With an exasperated sigh, she pushed past him and jiggled with the lock for a minute, then suddenly it flew open. “There ya’ go. You just have to hit it in just the right spot.”

“Thank you,” Cooper said in surprise, slipping his things into the locker.

“You’re new, huh?” Cooper nodded, “What could possibly compel you to transfer to this dump?”

Cooper paused, trying to decide on what to say. “Uh, I just moved here.” It wasn’t technically a lie.

The girl nodded, looking him up and down. “Well you’re welcome with the locker…Cooper.” She said, pulling down on his paper to read his name. “I’ll see you ‘round.”

Cooper raised an eyebrow as she turned to walk away, “Wait—you didn’t tell me your name.”

She paused, raising an eyebrow, “Santana.” She said, before sashaying away. Cooper watched her go, laughing slightly to himself.

“Well that was weird.”

_Not bad, though_ , He reminded himself, _Maybe today won’t be so bad…_

Cooper couldn’t help the smile on his lips, he had to keep that smile otherwise he’d never get it back, that’s what he always told himself. And with that, glancing down to his schedule, “Now…” He whispered to himself, “To find my homeroom…” 


End file.
